Why choose between red velvet cake and cheesecake when you can have both!
This Red Velvet Cheesecake recipe combines a shortcut red velvet base with an easy no bake cheesecake topping for a delicious dessert that anyone can master!
Best of all, this cake is made ahead of time and chilled for the perfect special occasion dessert.
A Favorite Dessert Mashup
- While we love red velvet cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory, this homemade version is extra simple to make for a fraction of the price.
- Using a box of red velvet cake mix makes the base layer extra fast to prepare.
- The no-bake cheesecake is rich, smooth, and fluffy (and it’s perfect every time).
Ingredients in Red Velvet Cheesecake
RED VELVET CAKE MIX The base of this cake is made from a box of red velvet cake but be sure not to follow the directions on the box. We add ingredients to make them a more “brownie-like” texture.
CHEESECAKE This layer of the cake is a version of our no-bake cheesecake recipe. A combination of cream cheese, vanilla extract, heavy cream, and powdered sugar. Just mix, layer, and chill. So simple!
Bake this in a 10-inch sprinform pan. If your pan is a 9-inch pan, you’ll need to add a few minutes of extra baking time since it will be slightly thicker.
How to Make Red Velvet Cheesecake
This is the perfect dessert to make for a special celebration or a potluck!
- Combine the red velvet ingredients per the recipe below. Do not use the box measurements. Bake and cool.
- Once the base is cooled, prepare the cheesecake mixture.
- Spread cheesecake mixture over red velvet cake. Refrigerate.
Recipe Tip We use a large spatula to press the edges of the red velvet cake to make it as flat and even as possible.
Tips for Recipe Perfection
- Be sure to follow the recipe below and do not follow the instructions on the back of the cake mix box!
- Ensure egg and cream cheese are room temperature for best results.
- Ensure that the cake layer is completely cooled or it will melt the cheesecake layer.
- If you don’t have a springform pan, line a 9″ pan with parchment paper so it is easy to remove the cake and cut.
- Be sure to refrigerate at least 4 hours. This cake freezes well and can be made ahead of time.
Storing Leftover Cheesecake
Leftover cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
This cake also freezes well and can be frozen whole or individually. Cut into slices and freeze individually in an airtight container.
Celebrate with Cheesecake!
- Instant Pot Cheesecake – ultra rich & creamy
- Oreo No-Bake Cheesecake – a family fave
- Mini Cheesecakes – perfect for a potluck
- No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake – sweet & tart
- Easy Cheesecake Recipe – a fool-proof recipe
Did you make this Red Velvet Cheesecake? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Easy Red Velvet Cheesecake
Equipment
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cake
- 1 box red velvet cake mix 15.25 oz
- 1 egg
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup milk
No Bake Cheesecake
- 12 ounces cream cheese
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
Optional
- whipped cream & raspberries for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 10" springform pan.
- Combine dry cake mix, egg, oil and milk. Mix on medium 2 minutes or until smooth.
- Spread into prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake. If needed gently press the edges with a spatula to even and flatten out the cake. Cool completely.
- Beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until fluffy. Add in heavy cream and continue beating until thick and creamy and stiff peaks form.
- Run a butter knife around the edges of the red velvet cake to loosen it. Spread cheesecake mixture over the cooled red velvet cake. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
- Decorate as desired.
Notes
- Be sure to follow the recipe below and do not follow the instructions on the back of the cake mix box!
- Ensure that the cake layer is completely cooled or it will melt the cheesecake layer.
- If you don’t have a springform pan, line a 9″ pan with parchment paper so it is easy to remove the cake and cut.
- Once the cake layer is baked, gently press the edges with a spatula to even and flatten out the cake.
- Be sure to refrigerate at least 4 hours. This cake freezes well and can be made ahead of time.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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My husband and I are going to have to agree that this cake is a bit dry. It’s a very heavy cake also. So if I decide to make it again I will try it by following the directions on the box (for the cake part) instead. Otherwise it was easy to make. My cheesecake part did not thicken up a lot nor did it get hard peaks, but for the most part it did set ok.
The cake is intended to be the texture of brownies, a bit thicker and chewy (rather than fluffy). If you follow the directions on the box, the mix will likely be too large for the pan.
Would love to make this. Can you make it in individual springform pans?
Hi Helen, we have not tried this recipe in individual spring form pans but would love to hear how it turns out for you!
Used exact ingredients. The velvet cake was so dense thought beating it was going to blow up my mixer. I stopped and hand mixed.
Hi Rachael, the red velvet cake is supposed to be a bit dense, almost like a brownie!
can this be frozen????
Yes, this recipe freezes well.
Sounds so good love to try this out!
I love this recipe. I made for my daughter’s birthday and it was a huge success.
Can i use a 9in pan instead of a 10inch pan?
Hi Carol, you can try baking it in a smaller pan you will want to pay attention to cook time as it will be a thicker cake. Also be careful about overfilling your pan, so it doesn’t overflow when baking.
Can I use mascarpone instead? I love the salty taste
I have only tried this recipe as written, but if you use mascarpone I would suggest to use 1/2 cream cheese and 1/2 mascarpone. If you try it, let me know how it turns out!
Hey, I was wondering if you can substitute the heavy cream with evaporated milk?
I have tried it but I’m not sure it would set up right. The cream thickens a bit like whipped cream.
After reading some of the comments about the cake part being dry, I was wondering if maybe using buttermilk instead of plain milk would help? Or maybe adding a little more oil?
While I haven’t found the cake to be dry Julie, these are great suggestions for others to try. Thank you for sharing your ideas.
We made this cake for a family get together. Our family really enjoyed the cake but the actual red velvet layer was a little dry for our taste. Also, we left the cake in the fridge to chill over night but the cheesecake layer never solidified so it turned out more like a cream cheese icing. The flavor was okay just not our favorite.
I’m sorry this didn’t work out for you.
So silly question how do you add the cheese cake mixture to your red velvet cake? Do you have an extra tall cake pan? I wasn’t thinking when I baked the cake and now I’m unsure how I’m going to put the cheese cake mix on top since my cake mix is to the brim. I don’t think it will transfer if I put in a different pan and let it set up separate.
If your pan is too shallow and the cake is to the top, you could try adding some parchment paper and foil paper around the cake to make it taller to add the cheesecake top?
Recipe was great! However, the cake part was very dense and did not rise much. How can I make cake less dense but firm enough to hold cheesecake part of the cake?
The cake part is intended to be a bit dense, almost like a brownie. This allows it to hold the cheesecake layer.
When do you take the cake out of the pan? Before adding the cheesecake or after chilling?
After chilling so the cheesecake is set.
Made the cheesecake. It was easy to make but the cake was very dry.
It was very easy to make. The cake itself was a little dry